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For this annual report, Hinano–co-founder of IDENTIFY–conducted independent research on the relationships between long-term study-abroad experience and high school students' awareness of global issues.

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Abstract

 

This study, conducted over an online survey to Japanese students who are between year 10 to the first year at university, aimed to evaluate whether students who studied at a foreign institution for more than six months in high school were more inclined to solve global issues. Being inclined to solve issues was defined as having four elements: willingness or openness to embracing diversity and globalisation, interest in topics of global affairs, understanding of current affairs, and motivation or enthusiasm to change the world. An online survey consisting of agreee/disagree questions, frequency questions, multiple-choice questions, and an open-ended question was responded by 43 students who studied abroad and 45 students who never studied abroad. The results showed little difference in the extent to which students who studied abroad and who never studied abroad were inclined to solve issues in the majority of the answers. However, there were notable differences in the context students talk about social issues, topics of issues they feel passionate about, and events or factors that influenced students’ perception of the world.

Keywords: study abroad, high school students, international issues